Chicken with Charred Veg and Crispy Salad

If something is upsetting your system but you can’t pinpoint what it is, you more than likely have a food sensitivity of one type or another. Eating relatively plain food and eliminating others that you think might be the reason (elimination diet), in the initial stages, will be helpful until you can get the results of any tests you take. Being plain doesn’t mean lacking flavour – that would drive you straight back to eating what causes your problem! The following recipe is quite plain and deliberately excludes any ‘trigger foods’ or specific allergies or intolerances, such as gluten, dairy, lactose, nuts, fish. Think of the vegetables and/or fruit you like and pick those.

Serves: 4

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Dietary: Nut free, gluten free, dairy free and no fish!

Ingredients:

• 4 x 150g skinless chicken breasts, sliced through the centre in length, then flattened out, using a rolling pin or bottle

• Large handful of chopped fresh herbs such as thyme and parsley for the chicken

• Olive oil

For the charred veg:

• Mixed colour peppers (3) cut into chunks
• 2 Mild red or white onion cut into 8ths
• 1 large courgette, halved lengthways and cut into 3cm chunks
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed (if desired)

For the salad:

• 24 cherry tomatoes (or more), cut in half
• ½ a cucumber, peeled and diced
• 2 heads crisp radicchio, torn
• 4 spring onions, sliced thinly

Method:

1. On a large baking tray, toss all your veg in some olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on the top shelf of the oven at around 180°C. Cook for around 20 minutes, tossing the veg around after 10 mins. After turning the veg, sprinkle with some of the herbs. Cook until just getting tender, but not soggy or burning! Should be a lovely light char around the edges.
2. Whilst the veg are cooking, prepare your salad by putting all the ingredients into a bowl and mixing them around. You can add a little vinaigrette or similar mild dressing. Place in the fridge to keep cool.
3. While the veg are still cooking, heat some olive oil in a large frying pan and bring up to a heat that is just about beginning to have that shine on the surface. Put the chicken breasts in and sear for a few minutes, then do the same on the other side.
4. Remove chicken from the pan and scatter over more chopped herbs (both sides). Put on a plate, turn the oven down and place on the veg to warm through. The veg should be slightly charged but not burning. This part of the recipe is to finish off cooking the chicken through.
5. Test the chicken to ensure it is cooked and no blood oozing.
6. Portion the salad between the plates then top with the chicken and veg mix. Add more herbs to the top if required.

Optional: you could add some rice as an accompaniment, preferably brown. Using a microwave sachet of rice will cut down on time.

Nutritional Values: Cals 478, Fat 19g, Carbs 41g, Protein 21g